Not all who wander are lost: Goodbye Mike

Sunday, 7-17-11

Today was Mike’s last day here in El Salvador and he left this morning around 9:30am. As it custom, we went out to dinner last night. Unfortunately, our favorite restaurant in Alegría wasn’t open. We decided to go to a different one that we haven’t been to for a long time (maybe a year). So Kathy, Mike, Blanca, Idalia, Cecilia, and I got into the pickup and headed for Alegría a little after 6pm. It was later than usual but we’d all been in a meeting for about 3 hours beforehand. It was getting dark on the ride there and we could look back at the mountains behind us to see sun setting.

When we got to Alegría we went down the road we thought led to the road to the restaurant. But it wasn’t and we ended up on a little detour down some unfamiliar road. But we eventually made it to the restaurant. We looked around for a little while before we sat down. I looked at the animals they have there while everyone else looked at the flowers. There was a raccoon which I remember from last year and also some new animals that I didn’t recognize. I’m still now sure what they are.

Even though it was dark outside there was a beautiful view of all the little lights down the mountain in the valley below. We heard the rumbling of thunder in the distance and knew a storm was on its way. I ordered shrimp for dinner. I wanted to see how they’d compare to the shrimp at our favorite restaurant. When dinner came we all started scarfing down our food; everyone was hungry. The shrimp was okay but I like the kind at the other restaurant better. However, I enjoyed the meal and the rice and tortillas that came with it.

Soon the wind began to blow and it got cooler. The lights when out but came back on within a few seconds. That has happened at every restaurant I’ve eaten at in Alegría. Then it started pouring down rain. The rain itself wouldn’t have been bad but combined with the wind it started blowing onto our table. We jokingly covered up with part of the tablecloth for a while. But then it came down even harder. Idalia was the first to move to another table. By that time I was almost finished so I just stayed put.

When we’d finished eating we paid the bill and strategized how to get into the pickup since it was pouring down rain and no one wanted to ride outside. There were six of us: Mike was going to drive, the three ladies in back, Kathy and me in the front passenger seat. Mike ran out first to the pickup to get in and open the doors. Then some waiter came by with a giant umbrella and escorted each of us out to the truck. I went last since we didn’t know if I’d be next to Kathy or on her lap. But when I got in the truck I saw that she had squeezed in back with Blanca, Ceci, and Idalia. It was crowded for them on the way home but we all made it back just fine. Ohhh, what fun. It was a good send off for Mike.